Is it time to Unite?
by roseandfudge
Summary: Wildkit, an abandoned kit, is found on ThunderClan territory. She's taken back to camp to be made into one of their kind. But trouble is brewing in the forest, an exile from the clans is stirring up rebellion and a plot to overthrow the clans. Is Wildkit the key to stopping them? Somewhat like a genderbent Into the Wild, Wildkit Firepaw, Whitestar Bluestar etc
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own warriors! It goes to Erin Hunter for the brilliant idea of warriors! However, I do own this story and these characters, so please do not copy!  
**

For allegiances: warriorsfanfics. webs /descriptionsofcats .htm (without the spaces) After webs, add in ./c/o/m/(without the slashes)

For extras and maps: warriorsfanfics. webs /descriptionsofcats .htm (without the spaces) After webs, add in ./c/o/m/(without the slashes)

Sorry about the spaces and slashes, it won't show up otherwise.

**Chapter 1**

Silence.

That was all to be heard now. No twittering birds or chittering squirrels, all the prey was hiding in their burrows. Ice laced the ground and water froze wherever it was touched. Cats' breath hung in the air like smoke. Only, it was so bitterly cold. Snow covered the world.

Grayfur shuffled his paws trying to get warmer. Eveyrbody was cold now, and hungry. There was barely enough food in the ThunderClan territory to get them all through the day. The elders insisted that they didn't need to be fed, but they were honoured veterans of the, clan, of course they were fed first.

The kits poked their heads outside, exploring the new, cold, wet, and white world. Grayfur spotted a bundle of black fur, stark against the white. His heart swelled and he felt much warmer.

Charcoalkit. His pride and joy.

Rockpelt slipped out of the nursery watching Charcoalkit intently, and Blackemeber scolded her kit for falling into a snowdrift. The kits were fine but what about the rest of the clan? Being the clan deputy had its downsides; the stress was too much sometimes. Grayfur gazed around camp. It was time to assign the dawn patrol. He padded delicately over the frost-woven ground towards the warriors den where the clan's early risers lay grooming.

"Sunlight," he said in a commanding tone, "You lead the dawn patrol. Take Oaksap, Shiningfrost, and Echopaw with you. Patrol the RiverClan border and hunt if you can."

Sunlight nodded, and padded out of camp with her patrol. She was a natural leader, and the ideal choice for the next deputy, Grayfur could trust her to come back with results instead of being empty-pawed.

Grayfur sighed. There were so many mouths to feed… and not enough paws to hunt for them. There were 5 elders now, Prophecysight had recently moved to the elders' den. And there were 5 growing kits in the clan too… one of them was his own.

He watched across the clearing as Puddlekit slipped on the ice and fell on her rump, and spotted the black kinked-up pelt.

He padded over to Charcoalkit. He cleared his throat nervously. Grayfur never was good at talking to kits, even his own. "Uh… Hello Charcoalkit, good morning."

Charcoalkit's wide green eyes looked up at him innocently. "Hello father!" she replied cheerfully.

Grayfur swallowed again. "Um, remember to be careful in the snow, you could catch a cold and there can be-"

Charcoalkit rolled her eyes. "I know. Love you too. You're off to go hunting alone aren't you?"

Grayfur bit back a sharp scolding about respect and nodded. "Yes I am, I'll see you soon." Very soon…

Grayfur took one last look back and padded out of the hidden camp entrance.

The cold air seemed sharper out here. Grayfur closed his eyes and let his other senses take over. The snow drowned out almost every other scent, but he could smell the barest traces of faint prey trails. He couldn't hear any sign of prey. Others often questioned why Grayfur hunted alone, but he never answered. He guessed that he just wasn't good at communicating.

Caught up in all his thoughts, Grayfur didn't notice a change in the scents and sounds in the air. A tiny crackle of dead leaves, the trace of cat scent in the air.

Grayfur was so distracted, he didn't notice until he stumbled into a bush, tripping. Embarrassed, he got up again, smoothing down his fur. This is why I don't hunt on patrols… he thought comically.

That's when his ears pricked and he noticed a small whimper coming from the flattened bush. He sniffed the air deeply, eyes closed.

Cat scent.

That small whiff told him many things. The whimpering creature wasn't ThunderClan, it was a she-cat, the cat was just a kit, and this particular kit was very, very scared.

"Who's there?" Grayfur said to open air.

A small, quivering black nose poked out of a bush timidly. "M-Me."

"And who is this 'me'?" Grayfur asked curiously.

An apprentice-sized shape emerged from the bush. She had a silver tabby fur and would've looked sleek, but the kit was covered in small scratches. She trembled under his gaze, ducking her head.

Grayfur narrowed his eyes suspiciously. A lost kit? She had no clan scent. "What are you doing here, kit?"

"I'm… abandoned."

"What's your name?"

She paused for a second. "My mother called me Wildkit."

Grayfur nodded. This poor scrap wasn't a threat, and she needed shelter and some food.

But it was leaf-bare and there was already so many mouths in the clan… Grayfur shook his head and took a closer look at the kit trying to clear his thoughts. She reminded him of his own kit, they were roughly the same age, five moons maybe. Grayfur made up his mind. "Follow me Wildkit, we're going home."

Wildkit was surprised.

The gray warrior-he obviously had authority and power too- had offered to take her back to his camp. She'd always thought ThunderClan cats were mean and always stealing food. Turns out they seemed to be honourable cats.

Her breath caught as the gray warrior led his into his camp. It was well hidden and she never would have found it on her own. He trusted her to let him into his camp. She took a deep breath trying to ignore the curious gazes that were glued onto her. She must look strong on the outside. She must not show a sliver of weakness.

Grayfur padded up to Whitestar, apprehension building. What if Whitestar disapproved? Would they drive away the kit? Surely not…

"What is it Grayfur?" Whitestar said, surprising Grayfur, "You look troubled, and you've brought back an outsider. That's not on the list of things you usually bring back from hunting."

Grayfur bowed his head. "Greetings Whitestar. I'm fine, no need to worry. I found this kit in the forest and I couldn't leave her behind. She says her name is Wildkit."

Whitestar looked concerned. 'That's a clan name."

"She was abandoned."

Whitestar nodded, understanding. "It happens, when a kit is born unwanted, perhaps she is half-clan. Kits out of the warrior code are usually abandoned sooner or later. It is a tragedy but it happens."

Grayfur swallowed. He felt a strange connection to Wildkit, and knew that they should take her in. "But Whitestar, what are we going to do with her?"

Whitestar blinked. "I thought you knew, after all you brought her here. We're going to make her one of ours of course."

Grayfur sighed in relief, then his deputy, clan-before-any-individual instincts kicked in. "Another hungry mouth to feed?"

"Another potential warrior in the future. We are not cruel cats. We will not turn away abandoned, hungry kits no matter where they come from." Whitestar replied firmly.

Grayfur nodded, relieved by this sure answer. Whitestar seemed satisfied and he got to his paws. "Now, lets officially welcome Wildkit to our clan."

Wildkit heard squirming and complaining in a den covered with brambles. Sweet milk scent drifted out of it softly.

The nursery.

Wildkit felt saddened. She didn't know if she had any littermates. From the range of voices in the nursery, Wildkit guessed there were about 5 to 7 kits in there, or perhaps a few particularly boisterous kits. She poked her head in, heart fluttering.

Almost instantly a face with a friendly smile all over it popped up.

"Hi!" it chirped, causing Wildkit to step back a pace, "I'm Charcoalkit!"

The kit who said "hi" was black-pelted, except for her paws and tail. She had bright green eyes that matched her personality.

"Who are you?" Charcoalkit asked.

Wildkit blinked. "I-I'm Wildkit."

"Cool! You're new! Come on; let's meet the other kits!" Charcoalkit raced deeper into the nursery, purring. "Where's your mother?"

A wrench of pain hit Wildkit. She didn't have a mother, not anymore anyways. She took a deep breath, her heart heavy. "I don't have a mother." She whispered.

Immediately Charcoalkit's mood changed. "I'm so sorry. You should meet Airkit, her parents are gone too. But me and Lightningkit and Branchkit and Puddlekit have our mothers and fathers still. We're lucky."

"Who have you got with you Charcoalkit?" mewed a deeper, more mature voice.

"I bet it's just a huge rabbit!" called another, slightly deeper voice. Wildkit heard a shove and a play-yelp after that.

Charcoalkit rolled her eyes, leading Wildkit in. "That's probably Lightningkit and Graypaw again. Graypaw's an apprentice, but he comes in a lot to help here, he's pretty much a kit himself."

Graypaw popped up and Wildkit felt herself feeling a little stunned. He was handsome and strong, lean muscles rippling under a smooth tabby pelt. Yellow-green eyes that seemed to know everything, eyes that were so inviting and charming...

"Hello." Graypaw said, looking similarly stunned, his eyes flickered about her and Wildkit felt her pelt grow hot. "You must be knew, welcome to ThunderClan." Graypaw mewed cheerily.

Wildkit nodded, glad she was welcomed, she felt dazed. "I'm-"

But before she could say anything else, Wildkit heard a gravelly voice call over the clearing.

"All cats old enough to hunt their own prey gather beneath High Rock for a clan meeting!"

"Whitestar!" Charcoalkit murmured. "I think you'd better go, this has something to do with you, I'd bet my first mouse on it."

Wildkit nodded. "Thanks for showing me around a bit." She said, sparing a last glance at Graypaw before padding in front of the tallest rock she'd ever seen. She cricked her neck leaning back to look up at it.

"As some of you may know," a powerful white tom with a scar on one flank (Whitestar, right?) boomed, "There has been an outsider in camp recently. And we have decided, to welcome her into the clan. Now she will be one of us. Wildkit, come forward."

Wildkit's heart raced and her head grew heavy. Was it true? Was she being accepted into ThunderClan? Could she just leave her past life behind and join a new clan just like that? Sure, the ThunderClan cats were hospitable, but who would've thought they'd be ready to allow lost kits to join their clan, in leaf bare too.

Someone gave her a nudge forward. Wildkit whipped around, her instincts taking over. She calmed down when she saw it was the gray tom that'd found her. He smiled warmly at her and mouthed, "Go on."

Wildkit stumbled forwards, as she felt every eye carefully trained on her. She scrambled up on to High Rock and stood next to the majestic leader. It was so dizzyingly high!

"This kit," Whitestar continued, "Is now a part of our clan, and she will be treated as an equal, for she is now equal to all of us."

A cheer rose up from the array of cats below. "Wildkit! Wildkit!" They chanted.

Wildkit's heart swelled. She was wanted, she belonged somewhere again.

Whitestar smiled, and leaned down to whisper something in Wildkit's ear.

"Welcome to ThunderClan."

**Hehe, this sounds familiar doesn't it? Somewhat, eh? As stated in the summary, the characters and the plot are loosely based on warriors (uh, duh!) just changed. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own warriors! It goes to Erin Hunter for the brilliant idea of warriors! However, I do own this story and these characters, so please do not copy!**

For allegiances: warriorsfanfics. webs /descriptionsofcats .htm (without the spaces) After webs, add in ./c/o/m/(without the slashes)

For extras and maps: warriorsfanfics. webs /descriptionsofcats .htm (without the spaces) After webs, add in ./c/o/m/(without the slashes)

Sorry about the spaces and slashes, it won't show up otherwise.

**CHAPTER 2**

Wildkit looked around carefully. No one was in sight. The moon was just beginning to set. The night patrol would be returning soon. Wildkit sighed. Everything was so orderly and peaceful in her new home. Not like her old one.

Wildkit frowned for a moment. What? She couldn't seem to remember what her old home was. It must've been a clan, because she had a clan name. It wasn't ThunderClan... Am I a WindClan cat? Or a RiverClan cat? She wondered, dreading it. She didn't want to be from another clan. She like ThunderClan, and she felt like she belonged in it. ThunderClan is my clan now, she thought firmly, And if I do find out I'm from another clan, it won't matter because by then, I'll truly be a ThunderClan cat.

Morning sunlight broke through gaps in the nursery wall. A dark gray queen muttered darkly, squinting at the gaps in the wall. "We ought to have fixed that last moon." she murmured to no one in particular. The dark gray queen got up, stretching, and began to groom herself and Charcoalkit.

Charcoalkit ducked out of the way. "I like my fur like this!" she whined, "Nobody cares, and it's more comfortable!"

"Nonsense." said Rockpelt, and she groomed Charcoalkit ever more firmly.

Wildkit sighed enviously. There was no doting mother to lick her fur down.

The nursery was quite crowded. There were 6 kits and 2 queens in it, after all. There was always a tail or a paw in the way, and it was hard to get by without tripping. Wildkit wriggled out of the nursery, relieved that the air outside was fresh and crisp. She watched the passing warriors with interest, taking note of where they went and what they did. They all seemed to be very busy, rushing about, and replenishing the dwindling fresh-kill pile.

Graypaw had stopped and said hello to all the kits, and it was probably his own habit. However he'd stopped and chatted animatedly to Wildkit for much longer, till his mentor called him over. Wildpkit couldn't remember the conversation at all, she'd been too wrapped up in the bright look that Graypaw had in his eyes. She felt dizzy afterwards, and couldn't figure out why. Perhaps Graypaw had sparked up some old memories of her past life...

Wildkit frowned again. Here it was. A memory. One she couldn't quite remember.

There was a camp, it was alot like this one, but the trees were darker and taller. There was a fresh-kill pile too. But instead of rodents and birds in it, she remembered eating from it... a frog? Strangely, there was nobody that reminded her of Graypaw, in the slightest. That was odd.

Wildkit shook her head. It didn't matter, after all. A warrior with a fiery ginger pelt bustled past muttering, "Middle of leaf-bare, and they send me to patch up the nursery?"

A she-cat with a silver-white pelt flicked her tail, beckoning her patrol out of camp. It was a meagre patrol, to be truthful.

Wildkit looked around feeling dizzy. Her old camp was like this too. It had more warriors though. The clan seemed large to Wildkit at first but now she realized it was mostly kits, queens, and elders. There weren't very many warriors. Suddenly, she felt guilty. It was leaf-bare after all, the hardest season of the year, and she'd showed up, just another outsider to feed when the clan was already starving. Guilt squirmed in her stomach, as the feeling that she didn't belong crept up on her.

When will I be able to help this clan too?

Charcoalkit was excited.

This was saying something, as nothing exciting happened much anymore. Charcoalkit was pleasantly surprised that there was a new addition to the clan, that was always fun. And the new kit was her age too! They could be apprentices together! Some part of her mind had already decided that she was going to be Wildkit's friend. No matter what.

Charcoalkit had spent a long time thinking about it, and besides, she was lonely.

A thought came to her: _What if Wildkit doesn't want to be my friend?_

She pushed that thought away. She was the deputy's daughter! Who wouldn't want to be friends with her?

To be honest to herself, Charcoalkit didn't really have many friends except for Airkit, but she didn't really count.

Oh, Airkit was all right, but she was younger and not all that stealthy, so pulling pranks was out of the question with her. But Wildkit looked plenty shifty and stealthy. Charcoalkit couldn't _wait_ to become her friend.

Wildkit opened her eyes as wide as she could. She tried to take in every detail. The way the camp ran, how cats spoke to each other, the way the camp looked. The world seemed to spin. This was all so familiar! But the memory kept slipping away from her like a crafty fish.

"Hi!" a cheery voice, almost shouted.

WIldkit smiled and turned around. "Hey Charcoalkit."

"You up to meeting the rest of the clan? I'll give you the special tour!"

Wildkit felt a strange warm glow inside her that made her want to smile. Was it-happiness? She'd only felt this when Graypaw was around and was talking to her. It was a good feeling, one she liked a lot.

"Sure I would."

Charcoalkit grinned. "Alright then! Let's go!"

Grayfur twisted his head this way and that, trying to get an impossible crick out of his neck. As he turned to the left, he noticed a flash of black fur disappearing out of the camp entrance. His mind raced, for a reason he couldn't comprehend. Then he understood.

Nobody in the clan had black fur except for Blackember and Charcoalkit.

And he could clearly hear Blackember in the nursery, scolding her kits.

Wildkit was amazed at Charcoalkit's boldness. "Are you sure?"

Charcoalkit nodded, and without another word, slipped out of camp.

Wildkit was bewildered. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that kits weren't allowed to venture out of camp. Would Graypaw approve? He was very adventurous, perhaps he would. She wished someone was there to reassure her.

A squeaky voice piped up behind her, again scaring Wildkit out of her fur. "Where are you going? Where did Charcoalkit go? Are you planning something?"

It was a small ginger kit, even smaller than Puddlekit. Who was it again? Oh, right, Airkit.

"Um... we're not going anywhere, Airkit, don't worry."

Airkit squinted. "You're lying. And I am so coming with you."

Wildkit sighed, accepting the inevitable. Airkit was going to come, one way or another.

Wildkit padded out of camp.

It was icy outside. Wildkit shivered in her sleek coat. She wished her fur was thicker, like Airkit's, who seemed to be oblivious to the cold.

"There you are!" said Charcoalkit, who'd found them again, "And you brought..."

"She wouldn't leave." said Wildkit grimacing apologetically.

'He-llo! She is right over here!" said Airkit, rolling her eyes.

Wildkit rolled her eyes. "Well where do you want to go Charcoalkit?"

"I dunno. Let's just explore."

The three of them padded forward, sniffing the air.

"Hey!" Airkit piped up, ears perking. "I smell water!"

Charcoalkit looked excited. "We must be near the river! Let's go!"

Grayfur chewed his bottom lip. He'd checked all over camp for Charcoalkit. Now he had to face the facts.

Charcoalkit was missing.

And if that wasn't bad enough, Wildkit and Airkit were missing too.

What was wrong with kits these days?

Grayfur gazed around camp, his green eyes narrowed. He made a hard decision.

Then he slipped out of camp like a shadow.

Charcoalkit scampered ahead nose high in the air, and Wildkit and Airkit scrambled after her.

"Hurry up!" she snapped, turning back for just a second.

"Could you slow down? Not all of us have legs as long as yours!" whined Airkit.

Charcoalkit didn't bother to answer and simply continued charging ahead. The roar of the river was louder now, and it felt like it could be crashing against her ears. Charcoalkit had never seen the river before, it must be interesting. She'd heard from the elders that the river was as long as the forest and wide as the Thunderpath (which she'd never seen either, but it must've been wide), and that it was as fast and fierce as a slobbering dog.

Charcoalkit didn't believe half these things, Halfear was probably exaggerating again. Still, she'd never seen a river before. It probably wasn't as deep as the elders said.

Wildkit narrowed her eyes, her small paws slipping on the snowy log. She could just see Airkit's tiny head behind the log trying desperately to scramble over it. Charcoalkit sighed impatiently. Couldn't they be any faster?

After both Wildkit and Airkit had managed to get over the log, Charcoalkit jogged ahead impatiently. The sound was crashing around ever louder against her sensitive eardrums. Finally, they burst out into a clearing.

"Sunningrocks." Airkit whispered.

Wildkit was oddly quiet at this point, staring at the flat, frozen rocks with a concentration. She frowned and crinkled her nose like she was trying to remember something. "I... know this placce... or at least I've heard of it." Wildkit said slowly.

Charcoalkit shrugged. _Everybody _had heard of it. The patch of land that ThunderClan and RiverClan had been fighting over for more seasons than anybody could care to count. Charcoalkit could swear that she could almost smell the blood that had been spilled here. Then she remembered a more important detail. Sunningrocks was the ThunderClan shore of the river! "C'mon! We're almost there!" Charcoalkit said. She dashed forwards, the smell of the river was so close! She could almost just smell the stink of RiverClan wafting across it. Yuck! Was that how RiverClan smelled?

"Wait! Charcoakit don't-" both Wildkit and Airkit yelled simulataneously.

Charcoalkit looked back for a second, but it was too late. The snow on the edge of the shore was wet and slippery. Charcoalkit's paws skidded, she couldn't stop, she tried to slide out her tiny claws but it was futile.

Charcoalkit slipped into the river.

Grayfur raced through the forest, his powerful legs pumping with exertion. His heart was beating fast, and it wasn't just the exhaustion. Fear permeated his mind too.

His only thought wa_s, Charcoalkit._

Wildkit's mind bounced around unstoppably. "Charcoalkit!"

Airkit was racing to grab a long stick for reasons that Wildkit couldn't understand.

Wildkit's brain couldn't seem to process everything. Charcoalkit had been running, she had slipped on the shore, she'd fallen into the-

The river.

Wildkit remembered. She remembered what she'd been told about the river, moons before.

It was just how the elders described.

And now, it was half frozen by leaf-bare. If Charcoalkit didn't drown, she'd freeze to death.

Airkit was standing on the shore, lowering a long stick into the water. "Hold on to this Charcoalkit!" she yelled.

Wildkit almost slipped in too, as she rushed to help Airkit.

Charcoalkit was holding onto the brittle stick as tightly as she could, but all they could do was hold her in place, they didn't have the strength to pull her up.

"Ppph." Airkit muttered from the side of her mouth.

"What?"

"Pull."

Wildkit nodded and fastened her jaws around the stick, slowly carefully stepping back. The snow was still slippery, and they didn't all want to tumble in the river.

There wasn't enough time to find a strong stick. Charcoalkit was too heavy. They were pulling too hard, maybe all three.

But the stick snapped.

Grayfur pounded into Sunningrocks. He saw two shivering bundles of gray and ginger fur on the shore of the river, looking like they were trying to pull something out of the river.

There was no scrap of black fur anwhere to be seen.

Grayfur's heart almost stopped as he realized what had happened. Charcoalkit had fallen into the river.

"No!"

He flashed forwards and without another moment's hesitation, he jumped into the river.

It was freezing beyond the coldestt leaf-bare night. And it was _wet _too. The river tore at Grayfur, and he couldn't feel solid ground beneath him. He thrust his head above the water, desperately searching for a smudge of black. There! By the rock!

Grayfur tried to run to Charcoalkit, but he forgot he was in the river. He pushed his paws through the unyielding water, surging forward. His only thought now was to get to Charcoalkit and get her out of the river.

It was so cold, Grayfur's vision was blurred. He remembered grabbing the scruff of a black-furred kit, and heaving it up above the water, his muscles working overtime as he crawled up onto the shore, sopping wet.

Airkit's eyes almost popped. Grayfur had fearlessly dashed into the river, and in record time had retrieved Charcoalkit and gotten both of them out of the river.

Would she ever be that strong and brave?

Airkit ran over to the two dripping figures on the shore. Grayfur had almost been too late. Airkit shivered.

She bent over Charcoalkit. "Are you okay?" she whispered, barely registering that Wildkit was right on her tail.

"No she's not!" Grayfur snapped, glaring at both of them. Airkit shrank back from his piercing green eyes, just like Charcoalkit's. "She's just fallen into a freezing river! How could you let her do something so hare-brained!'

Wildkit held her tongue wisely, but Airkit couldn't help but rebuke in injustice. "It was her idea!"

"Well you should have stopped her!" Grayfur almost yelled.

"Is she still alive?" whimpered Wildkit, and Airkit thought this a perfectly reasonable question, due to Grayfur's tone of urgency.

Great StarClan, the way he was raving about it, all 3 of them could've just died twice.

It soon became apparent that Charcoalkit was _not _dead. Wildkit sighed in relief.

So her new friend _wasn't _going to die. She was still in the medicine cat den though, and Wildkit and Airkit were visiting her every 5 minutes.

Dewdrop clucked her tongue every time they came. "Kits... they're so foolish these days." she muttered under her breath, shooing them away.

Berrypaw secretly told them "She's going to be fine. We've just got to warm her up."

Wildkit nodded in relief.

So maybe things _would _turn out all right in her new clan.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own warriors! It goes to Erin Hunter for the brilliant idea of warriors! However, I do own this story and these characters, so please do not copy!

For allegiances: warriorsfanfics. webs /descriptionsofcats .htm (without the spaces) After webs, add in ./c/o/m/(without the slashes)

For extras and maps: warriorsfanfics. webs /descriptionsofcats .htm (without the spaces) After webs, add in ./c/o/m/(without the slashes)

Sorry about the spaces and slashes, it won't show up otherwise.

**Chapter 3**

"From now on, you shall be known as Wildpaw."

Wildpaw felt herself swell with pride. She was an apprentice! No longer a kit! She could finally _finally _help her new clan!

Whitestar took a moment to let it sink in, and then continued. "Your mentor shall be Sunlight. She will be sure to pass on her loyalty and determination."

Sunlight stepped up to touch noses with Wildpaw, and as they contacted, Sunlight murmured, "I expect nothing butt the best from you. You above others must prove yourself."

Wildpaw nodded enthusiastically. She would show Sunlight that she was worthy, she'd show everyone!

She padded over to the recently apprenticed Charcoalpaw, a wide grin on her face. "Isn't this great Charcoalpaw? We can finally be useful to the clan!"

Charcoalpaw grimaced. "Maybe. At least your mentor isn't breathing down your neck about _being too conspicuous. _Flashfire's a real pain in the-"

Airkit bounced up to them. "Hi! How was it? Was it exciting? Was it scary? I can't _wait _to be an apprentice!

Wildpaw smiled. "2 more moons Airkit, 2 more moons and we can share a den again. Although this time, it'll probably still be pretty crowded. Echopaw and Splashpaw will be moving out soon though!"

Airkit purred happily and bounded off somewhere else.

Wildpaw flicked her tail back and forth, thinking. She probably didn't look very different, but she sure felt different. And she felt a little excited at now being able to share a den with Graypaw too. He was so... interesting, besides he had such a heart-melting, charming smile. Her heart fluttered slightly at the thought for reasons Wildpaw didn't know. _None of that now, I'm an apprentice, focus yourself! _

She wondered how being out of camp was like. Besides Wildpaw, Charcoalpaw, and Airkit's little excursion to the river (Wildpaw still felt a little guilty for that, but Charcoalpaw had recovered), Wildpaw had never been outside camp. Where would Sunlight take her? At least Sunlight wasn't as grouchy as Flashfire, and Sunlight was a good warrior. Maybe her first apprentice duty would be to-

"Wildpaw!"

Wildpaw whipped her head around, eager to do something useful. Sunlight had called to her, padding towards her. "Wildpaw, are you up for your first- or second I should say," (Wildpaw blushed at this) "-Day outside camp? And this time you'll get to really explore and I'll show you the best places for prey."

"Of course! Is Charcoalpaw coming as well?"

"If Flashfire agrees on this."

Wildpaw raced over to the intimidating ginger warrior. "Flashfire, Flashfire! Can Charcoalpaw come with me and Sunlight to see the territory?"

Flashfire looked annoyed, before nodding. "I'm coming along too, need to keep my apprentice in check..." he muttered something about Charcoalpaw being too wild. "Charcoalpaw!" he barked, "We're going to explore the territory with Sunlight and Wildpaw!"

Charcoalpaw padded obediently towards Flashfire and Wildpaw. "Really?"

"Yes!" snapped Flashfire, "And hurry!"

Wildpaw looked at Charcoalpaw, a gleam in her eyes. They were apprentices. What could ruin this day? Nothing!

"Race you!" Charcoalpaw yelped, running ahead already.

Blazepaw growled. Shadeheart had been sent on a patrol. _Without_ Blazepaw of course. Blazepaw was being punished, he'd _almost, _just _almost _gone into WindClan territory.

_It's not really my fault_, thought Blazepaw sourly, cleaning out old bedding in the nursery (Leafkit and Ravenkit were practically bouncing off the walls of the den, and making it extremely hard to clean up the nursery), _the border wasn't even marked! There was a stream there? Yeah right, didn't see it._

But Bronzestar had made him stay in camp for three sunrises because of it. There weren't even any WindClan warriors there! Blazepaw snorted. _Weaklings. They probably didn't even patrol their borders. _Ironclaw had been disappointed though. Blazepaw's father, the clan deputy, was never angry with Blazepaw. But he did get disappointed and ashamed at him, which was probably worse.

Sparrow-wing regarded Blazepaw with a look of slight pity. Blazepaw growled back, and Sparrow-wing looked away quickly. Blazepaw could have a very cold glare.

He stomped out angrily, gnashing his teeth. He narrowed his eyes, looking at the camp entrance. He was dying to get out of camp.

Suddenly, Blazepaw had an idea. He _could _get out camp.

Surely they would be patrolling the WindClan border seriously now. But the ThunderClan border... Blazepaw grinned to himself and padded out of camp.

Wildpaw's head was spinning. So much to take in! The training hollow, the Sky Tree, the Adder Bogs, the pine forest, Sunningrocks, the river (they didn't fall in this time), and most intriguing, the foul smelling Thunderpath.

"What is it?" asked Charcoalpaw sniffing the edge of the strange black material. It was like rock but completely flat and smelling of Twoleg and foulness. It was oddly sticky.

"It's the Thunderpath of course!" snapped Flashfire.

"It's something that the Twolegs made. Monsters run on it. It seems to be the only place that monsters can run on, so luckily they don't leave the Thunderpath. As long as you stay away from the Thunderpath, you should be fine." explained Sunlight patiently. She flicked her tail for the rest of them to follow as she started padding back to ThunderClan territory.

"Why does it smell so bad?" asked Wildpaw, as she stumbled over the uneven ground.

"Part of that stink is from ShadowClan. Learn their scent well." said Flashfire.

Charcoalpaw leaned closer to Wildpaw and whispered in her ear, "ShadowClan must really stink."

Wildpaw had to bite back a giggle and turned her attention back to her mentor. So many new scents, she had to try hard to sort through them all. RiverClan scent, they smelled fishy, adders smelled strange and a bit like earth, the Thunderpath smelled-

"Uh... Flashfire? What's that?" Charcoalpaw asked, shocking Wildpaw out of her thoughts.

"What?" barked Flashfire.

"That! Is that... a cat?"

Flashfire growled. "They're certainly not ThunderClan."

Wildpaw squinted and saw an apprentice sized ginger figure dart over the Thunderpath. She clenched her teeth, readying herself for a fight. This newcomer could be a threat.

The ginger cat stumbled to the ThunderClan side of the Thunderpath, breathing heavily. Wildpaw inhaled and the scent of the new cat told her much.

The newcomer was a tom and smelled strangely of old bedding. The fainter scent of other cats clung to him, and he was not in a good mood. The ginger tom was not yet a warrior, and strangely, not a whiff of fear-scent was on him. And the bitter smell that stuck to his pelt... it was pungent and strong, it must be his clan-scent. ShadowClan.

Wildpaw curled her lip in distaste, glaring at the ginger tom, who glared back just as scornfully.

"You're ThunderClan." the ShadowClan stranger growled.

"And you're ShdowClan!" Wildpaw quipped.

Wildpaw lashed her tail back and forth, she wanted to claw this rude intruder's ears off! He was invading ThunderClan territory and didn't even seem sorry! _I'll show him, _thought Wildpaw, _I'll prove that I'm loyal, and that nobody is going to hurt my clan when I'm around._

Flashfire and Charcoalpaw seemed to be thinking along the same lines, but Sunlight remained composed. "Do not attack." she ordered her clan mates. Then she spoke to the stranger. "Indeed young one. I believe that you are Blazepaw of ShadowClan, are you not?"

The ginger tom tilted his chin up and said, "Yes."

"Then where is your mentor?" said Sunlight coolly.

"None of your business!" snarled Blazepaw.

"I don't think that _kits _barely out of the nursery should be wandering around on other clans' territory!" spat Flashfire.

WIldpaw's ears flattened and she crouched, ready to spring. The start of a snarl crept on to her lips. How different Blazepaw was from Graypaw, who was always loyal and loved the warrior code. Sure he had once been a troublemaker, but those days were past right? Blazepaw, though he was surely older stil disobeyed orders. _Graypaw wouldn't do that..._ thought Wildpaw.

"I am not a kit!" Blazepaw hissed, "And I'm tired of everybody treating me like one!"

"Well you sure are acting like a kit!" Charcoalpaw said, sniffing distastefully.

Sunlight opened her mouth to say something calming, but before she got a word out, Blazepaw launched himself at Charcoalpaw, claws unsheated, positively spitting in fury.

Before she could think about it, Wildpaw stepped in front of Charcoalpaw, her only thought, _Well, that wasn't fair! Charcoalpaw wasn't ready! _Wildpaw's next thought was, _Ow!_

Tendrils of pain snaked up her flank as she realized that Blazepaw had sunk his claws deep into her flank. She snarled and whipped her head around to bite on to Blazepaw's foreleg. He yowled in pain and wriggled out from WIldpaw's reach.

WIldpaw's head was thundering. Pain, euphoria, rage, triumph, the exhilaration of it all! Was this the terror and bloodlust for battle? All she wanted to do now was to defeat her opponent. She'd never had any battle training, but this seemed to be coming naturally. She saw Blazepaw, his fur fluffed up, and his eyes wide, and Wildpaw realized that he was bigger, stronger, older and more experienced. And yet he smelled strongly of... fear. Why would he be afraid?

Wildpaw let go of these thoughts as Blazepaw darted forward again, aiming for a swipe on her ear. Wildpaw saw his intentions and ducked, knocking Blazepaw's feet from under him. She fastened her jaws around his tail and bit hard, causing Blazepaw to shriek in pain. He snapped his tail out of the way and in turn, sunk his teeth into Wildpaw's shoulder. Wildpaw's pain was completely new to her. It hurt more than even the memory of her mother, abandoning her to the cold. Vaguely, she heard Charcoalpaw screeching for both of them to stop, and Wildpaw clawed feebly and Blazepaw's ear, still caught up in both her physical and emotional pain.

"Enough." growled a low voice that she did not recognize. Blazepaw's weight was dragged off, and Wildpaw let herself go limp, her bloodlust and fight draining out of her.

Charcoalpaw had _never _in her six moons of life, seen Sunlight so angry. She was positively, _livid_.

"I am extremely disappointed in you, Wildpaw." she said to Charcoalpaw's just reviving friend, "That is not the way ThunderClan warriors handle their problems."

Wildpaw hung her head mournfullly, and she was a sorry sight. Her flank was badly scratched, one of her hindlegs was bleeding, and there was a deep gash on her shoulder. Charcoalpaw shuddered as she thought of what might have happened to _her _if Wildpaw had not intervened.

Flashfire was now explaining to some stoic-looking strange warriors what had nodded coldly as Flashfire spoke.

"So it was Blazepaw who attacked first, but he was provoked by one of out apprentices. The other took the the blow and returned a few of her own." Flashfire was saying.

A long haired gray and white tom was chuckling softly. 'Young cats these days."

A regal looking gray tom nodded. "Indeed. So it is the fault of neither clan. We will punish our own apprenties accordingly, but I feel that no more blood needs to be shed over this matter."

"Thank you Ironclaw." said Flashfire, bowing his head.

Charcoalpaw sighed in relief, as she watched the ShadowClan warriors (with a dejected Blazepaw at their heels) pad back to their side of the forest.

Wildpaw winced as Dewdrop treated her wounds. Dewdrop was not especially gentle about it either.

"Tut, tut," muttered Dewdrop, "You've been in here a few too many times."

Wildpaw felt herself burn with shame. Life in her new clan was not going as smoothly as expected. She winced again as the tang of crushed herbs was applied on to her flank.

Charcoalpaw and Airkit had come to visit her, but it was Graypaw's visit that made her heart sing with joy. He cared about her. His beautiful blue eyes were so concerned and reflected anguish, so that he looked like he was in pain too.

"Are you all right?" he whispered, grooming her messed up fur.

Wildpaw simply nodded quickly, afraid she'd say something ridiculous.

"You scared me. I thought you were dead when you came back." he muttered, still looking ever so nobly anguished. "Don't scare me like that again."

"I promise I won't get into any more fights with bad-tempered ShadowClan apprentices." Wildpaw murmured back.

At that Graypaw had smiled with a hint of his old humor and suave, and slipped out of the medicine cat den.

On another, less happy not, Sunlight had been simply _furious_.

Wildpaw's eyes closed and she relived the glory of battle, the feeling of her sharp claws and teeth tearing in to soft flesh. She would never forget this first battle with unsheathed claws. The energy and adrenaline that had risen up in her was unforgettable, and her fury at Blazepaw's imprudence was something she'd never felt before. Pain too, the pain of razor claws and teeth slashing at her own body, the new fresh, stinging pain that was so new to her. Wildpaw took a deep breath. So this was battle.

Another thing about this day, Wildpaw would not forget. She remembered watching Blazepaw leave, being led by his mentor, who was just as furious as Sunlight. His mentor was scolding Blazepaw harshly and Blazepaw's ears had dropped shamefully. WIldpaw could not suppress a smirk at that moment, and it was then that Blazepaw turned around. He saw Wildpaw's smug expression, and a look of nothing but anger and hatred passed over his face, twisting his usually noble features. That demonic fiery look in his eyes. Hatred. It was clear that Blazepaw's need for revenge was just kindled to an inferno.

Wildpaw took another shuddering breath, as the memory flashed across her mind.

She'd just made her first enemy.


	4. Chapter 4

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Sorry about the spaces and slashes, it won't show up otherwise. This should take you to our other site.

Rose, my co-writer actually wrote most of this chapter! I just played around with the editing and wrote the end. But usually the brunt of the chapters are written by me, Fudge.

"Grayfur!" a voice called. Grayfur swallowed the last piece of his fresh-kill and padded over to Whitestar's den. Whitestar looked up as Grayfur came in, and his green gaze was calculating. "Ah, there you are. Could you please tell Sunlight, Sparkwing, Oaksap, Rockpelt, Charcoalpaw and Wildpaw that they're going to the gathering?"

Grayfur dipped is head respectfully and backed out of the den. He felt a little prick of pride. Her daughter was going to her first gathering. He hoped it would not be as much of a catastrophe as Charcoalpaw's first day as an apprentice, 2 moons ago.

"What did he want?" meowed Rockpelt who had been waiting for him outside.

"You're going to the gathering Sunlight, Sparkwing, and Oaksap. Could you please tell them?" said Grayfur.

Rockpelt purred in response and bounded off. Grayfur spotted Charcoalpaw and Wildpaw sharing a small starling and beckoned them over.

"Hi Grayfur!" mewed Charcoalpaw, "What is it?"

Grayfur's spark of pride rekindled. Charcoalpaw had grown so much... She was 8 moons old now, but she would always be his kit. "You're going to the gathering tonight." said Grayfur, smiling.

Charcoalpaw and Wildpaw were purring so much, they could barely speak. "Thanks Grayfur! i'm gonna tell Airkit!" Wildpaw yelled as she raced off, with Charcoalpaw following close behind yowling, "No you're not you furball, I am!"

Grayfur flicked his ears in amusement and thought about Airkit's reaction to the news. She would probably be extremely disappointed, then whine, "It's not fair! I'm almost six moons old!" Grayfur purred at the thought then went to share tongues with Rockpelt.

As Wildpaw made it across the tree trunk that was the bridge to the Gathering Island, she slipped.

She had no warning, and everything had been fine, perhaps she was just too excited. _I'm going to die, I'm going to die!_ Her brain screamed as she plunged towards the icy water below.

Suddenly, the world jerked upwards again, and Wildpaw's swift descent was stopped suddenly. Strong jaws had grasped the scruff of hr neck, and pulled her back on to the log.

Still shivering, Wildpaw looked up into the eyes of a bemused ShadowClan cat. "Be more careful next time, will you?" the ShadowClan tom meowed. He looked wise and calm, maybe not all ShadowClan cats were bad.

Jus then, Dewdrop called, "Come on Owlsight! Hurry up!" the tom, who evidently was ShadowClan's medicine cat, crossed over to join Dewdrop and Berrypaw, who bombarded him with questions.

"Move!" snarled a rougher voice than that of the ShadowClan medicine cat's. Wildpaw whirled around to see a ginger ShadowClan warrior glaring at her. The eyes of the warrior were full of hate and anger, much like Blazepaw's eyes had been when Wildpaw had wounded him. For a second, the cat's eyes softened and a look of surprise and oddly, regret, passed over them. Soon, this look was gone, and they looked bloodthirsty and extremely annoyed again.

"S-S-Sorry!" stammered Wildpaw and she she pelted off to find Grayfur and Charcoalpaw. She was so frightened, she didn't stop until she collided into Sunlight.

Sunlight pushed Wildpaw off and hissed, "Watch where you're going!"

Wildpaw blushed and lowered her head. Her first gathering was not going as well as planned. Charcoalpaw then called her over, "Com one, the Gathering is starting!"

Relieved, Wildpaw scrambled to her paws and joined her friends, just as Whitestar's yowl traveled through the ranks of cats.

"Let the gathering begin!"

A WindClan cat spoke up. "But where is Bronzestar? He's not here yet! The gathering cannot begin without all leaders present."

A noble-looking gray tom stood up. "That's Ironclaw," hissed Charcoalpaw under her breath to Wildpaw, "He's the ShadowClan deputy." Wildpaw nodded, and listened to the leaders once more.

Ironclaw stepped forward and leapt up to the Great Rock to join the leaders. "I will be representing ShadowClan for this Gathering." He then turned to the leaders and dipped his head respectfully. "May I go first?"

Whitestar, Swallowstar, and Smallstar (these cats had been previously pointed out by Charcoalpaw) nodded in agreement and allowed Ironclaw to speak.

The gray tom held himself high and let his voice boom around the ears of the listening cats. "I have bad news. Even ShadowClan was unaware of this until today. Bronzestar is _dead_!"

Ironclaw paused to let shock and disbelief ripple through the crowd unti they were all baying for the murderer's blood. _Clever_, thought Wildpaw, _He's certainly a very charismatic cat._

Ironclaw bristled, as if he was just as furious as the rows of cats below. "Yes!" he yowled, "Bronzestar is dead and it was not of an accident or natural cause! He was murdered!"

More yowling. Wildpaw felt herself grow angry and shocked too, Ironclaw's words had a powerful effect.

Ironclaw continued, his fur fluffed up till he seemed to be much bigger and impending, "Bronzestar was murdered _by his own clanmate!_"

The ShadowClan warriors yowled their disbelief and looked at each other with accusing gazes. All the other clan cats scooted away from the ShadowClan cats, for fear that the murderer might be near them. Even the other leaders looked dumbfounded by Ironclaw accusation.

More yowling, with a few distinct questions above the din.

"Who was it?"

"How did they do it?'

"Do you have proof?"

Ironclaw waited until this last wave of yowling settled to a disquieted murmur and then roared, "I'll show you proof! Just ask the murderer! I'll tell you who did it, and if you still want proof you can ask her yourself!" He paused an glared at a cat Wildpaw couldn't see in the midst of the ShadowClan cats. "Rosepelt!" he spat, his green eyes blazing.

All of the clan cats, as one, gasped audibly. And heads turned to stare.

A ginger she cat stepped out of a group of tight-knit cats who now parted before her and shrank away in fear.

She was a ginger cat with eyes just as fiery, and she held herself proudly as if she had not a fear in the world. With a shock, Wildpaw realized it was the warrior who'd glared at her earlier.

Rosepelt drew her lip back contemptuously as growled. "I don't deny it." she snarled, "I murdered Bronzestar and I'm proud of it! He was a foolish leader, ShadowClan would've been better off without him!"

Ironclaw looked taken aback for a moment, and then looked grimly at the other leaders. Swallowstar, Smallstar, Whitestar and Ironclaw exchanged words too low to hear, their faces solemn.

Ironclaw finally rose, his eyes blazing with determination, their depths showing no pity.

"Then it's settled." he said coldly. He turned to Rosepelt and proclaimed, "You are officially banished from the clans."

There was a little murmur of unease. It had been moons and moons since a cat had been exiled from the clans. Farther back than the oldest elder could remember, banishment was now only a distant memory, and the cats in the clans didn't believe it could ever happen.

Ironclaw continued, his fierce words directed at Rosepelt, "Swallowstar, Whitestar, and Smallstar stand behind me in this decree. You are exiled, no longer one of the clans. From sunrise tomorrow, any cat who catches you in the forest is entitled to kill you. You are no longer a warrior of ShadowClan, and I, with the leaders of the clans behind me, strip you of your rank and rigths and cast you out from the clans."

When clan cats overcame their shock and roared in approval, and Wildpaw found herself joining in.

"And," Ironclaw boomed, "Any cat who helps or shelter Rosepelt will be severely punished." Ironclaw finished off by glaring at all the cats in the crowd. Wildpaw shuddered as his green gaze swept over her.

Through the duration of her sentence, Rosepelt had still looked scornful, but now there was a hint of fear in her face. She leaned back on her haunches and flicked her tail back and forth, as if ready to pounce.

"Well," snarled Rosepelt, "If I am no longer one of the clans, I am no longer bound by the rules of the clans! There _will _be blood shed under the full moon! The truce means nothing to me!"

She leaped up onto the Great Rock and slashed her claws towards Ironclaw's throat. Ironclaw hissed and stumbled back. He reached forward and sunk his teeth into Rosepelt's shoulder as she yowled in pain. She limped off the Great Rock and hissed at all the leaders on it, who were fluffing up their fur in preparation for a fight.

Snarling, she held her head high and said, "You'll never defeat me, and you can't stop me!"

A hissing gray RiverClan warrior at the front of the crowd, right behind Rosepelt swiped at her flank, and Rosepelt whirled around, furious. She began to claw and bite on any bit of cat that she could reach, and the foolish RiverClan warrior was defenseless. The cats around the fight began to join in, fending off Rosepelt with claws and teeth. Flanks were scratched, legs were bitten, ears were nicked.

"Stop!" hissed a commanding voice. It was Whitestar. He was bristling, Wildpaw felt that Whitestar rarely ever got this angry... or got that strange tone in his voice that made sure that you obeyed.

"Stop this!" he hissed, "It is the full moon! Look! Clouds cover the moon! StarClan is displeased, there shall be no fighting under the truce of the Gathering. Rosepelt, you have been given time to find a new dwelling, to get away from the clans. Take that chance, before we force you to leave!"

Rosepelt crouched, she was wounded all over, blood seeping from her many wounds. She looked... strangely defeated. Her gaze was weary, as her eyes were flicking around the clearing. She looked up in pain to the Great Rock and summoned strength for one more sentence. "This is not the last of me," she spat, "I'll be back."

WIth that, she turned tail and loped out of the clearing, out of sight.

Wildpaw felt a bit of confusion in her mind. Why had the leaders just not killed Rosepelt? That would've been a lot easier. Then they wouldn't have to worry about some murdering danger lurking around. Somewhere, she knew that even leaders had to show mercy sometimes, but most of WIldpaw was baying for Rosepelt's death.

She was afraid.

Afraid of an unseen enemy, now free in the forest


End file.
